1, 2, 3 O’Clock

Jennifer West

5 years ago

1, 2, 3 O'Clock

What It Is

This wrap-up technique allows you to quickly review three important questions by having students respond to and discuss them with a designated classmate. It can be modified to include more or fewer questions, depending on the amount of time you have.

How It Works

Select three questions that are fundamental to understanding the concepts being taught.
Type them on a PowerPoint slide, or print them on half sheets.
Give students a few minutes to provide a written response to the three questions.
Ask them to meet with their 1:00 appointment (see Appointment Agendas, and respond to the question reserved for 1:00. Both partners should share. Students can modify or “borrow” ideas from their partners and add them to their responses.
Ring a bell, and ask partners to meet with their 2:00 appointments and share the designated response. Repeat for the 3:00 question.
Ask volunteers to share their thoughts. Clarify any misunderstandings.

For a follow-up session the next day, consider opening up the lesson with a review of these 1, 2, 3 O’Clock entries, except that for the review, alter it so that they are meeting with their 4:00, 5:00, and 6:00 appointments. This way, students will be exposed to a variety of perspectives on these very important questions, and you’re able to start off at the exact point where you ended.

How to Ensure Higher-Order Thinking

Ask students to collect one or two insights that they will borrow from their classmates. Ask them to take a pen or pencil to their appointment so that they can capture ideas and label them as “new insights.” Use big questions that ask for implications or that require mastery of the surface knowledge, but that use content in a way that demonstrates that students understand the big picture of what is being discussed.